The Hasty Heart

En: 6 Ed: 7

Based on John Patrick's play, a wounded Scot does not know
he is going to die soon, but others in his ward are told and become
his friends.

In Burma soldiers learn in 1945 that the war is over. Cpl.
Lachie MacLachlan (Richard Todd) is angry because he is not going
home. Lt. Col. Dunn (Anthony Nicholls) transfers him to the ward
of Sister Parker (Patricia Neal). Yank (Ronald Reagan) says he
hates Scots because of his grandfather. Col. Dunn asks the men
in that ward to help MacLachlan because he is going to die in
a few weeks from kidney failure.

Lachie refuses to accept help or gifts. He tells Sister Parker
that he is buying land instead of a kilt. Lachie tells Yank that
he wants privacy, not friendship. Behind a screen he plays bagpipes.
Sister Parker delivers mail, but Lachie gets none. Kini (Ralph
Michael) learns his wife had a son. Sister Parker sends Lachie
to Col. Dunn and tells Yank, Kini, Tommy (Howard Marion-Crawford),
and Digger (John Sherman) that Lachie was a foundling. They agree
to give him a party and gifts that she bought. Each gives him
a birthday present, but he says nothing and then thanks them all.
Lachie says, "Sorrow is born in the hasty heart" and
that he cannot pay them back.

At night Sister Parker finds Lachie smoking outside. He says
he has no friends. He wants to do something but is starting to
feel weaker. She advises him to share himself. He calls her an
angel, and she kisses him. Lachie becomes talkative and says how
much the war costs. He invites each man to visit him in Scotland.
He collapses. Yank gives him a rubdown and says he will write
to him.

Yank delays going home, and Lachie appears in his kilt. Sister
Parker takes pictures. In her office Lachie formally proposes
to Sister Parker, who thinks and agrees. Col. Dunn tells Lachie
that he can fly home. Lachie asks why. Col. Dunn explains that
he will die in a few days. Lachie learns the others knew and says
he wants to go back to Scotland. He says he wants no more pity.
He calls the others swine and tells them to stay away. Sister
Parker tells him they are his friends; but he feels hurt because
of why. The African Blossom (Orlando Martins) gives Lachie a necklace,
but he throws it away. Angry Yank tells Lachie that he is afraid
to live and explains that Blossom does not know that he is going
to die. Sister Parker asks Lachie if he is ready, and he refuses
help. Yank asks Sister Parker to take a photo of the others. Lachie
cries and asks to stay. While he is washing, Sister Parker says
he swallowed his pride. Lachie comes out in his kilt, and she
takes a picture of them all.

This drama emphasizes the value of human friendship
and suggests that sometimes the humane response to our hurts can
stimulate psychological healing as well as physical recovery.
The world wars were catastrophic breakdowns of human relationships
and show the need for great healing.